Every week, we scour the internet to find the most inspirational stories of goodwill, joy and hope.
Our Uplifting Stories serve as a reminder that you are not alone, there are other people in the world going through the same situation, and we are capable of building communities that can support and help each other grow and heal.
Don’t ever stop looking for inspiration!
“If you want the best the world has to offer, offer the world your best.” – Neale Donald Walsch
Allow these wholesome stories to brighten your day!
- A barber’s heartwarming gesture is making a real difference for kids with autism
- A man brings joy to his community with positive videos
- Former teacher fulfills a 46-year-old promise
- One student is pursuing a career in the healthcare field to help kids like her
Weekly Uplifting Stories – April 22nd, 2024
Barber is offering free haircuts to children and adults living with autism
Throughout April, Elias Gonzalez is offering free haircuts to children with autism.
He and his team at Always Faded Barbershop in Fresno are taking great care to make it a pleasant experience for families with children with autism.
For Nicole, it is a huge blessing to find a barber shop that can accommodate her son Isaiah’s sensory sensitivities.
Nicole said, “To see Isaiah just sitting still, letting him cut his hair with the scissors, spraying, brushing everything…and I know what a struggle it is for him. That’s amazing.”
Elias’ meaningful gesture is a great example of our capacity to love, give, and uplift others.
Man gives strangers a moment to shine by rolling out the red carpet
Alan Wallace is a content creator from Belfast, Northern Ireland who regularly posts wholesome videos on social media.
His content ranges from spontaneous street interviews to random acts of kindness such as giving roses to strangers or offering free hugs.
In this video, he is seen rolling out the red carpet for strangers, giving them a moment to shine.
People of all ages and walks of life happily accepted the invitation to strut down the red carpet like a star!
This short video captures the joy, enthusiasm, and human connection in a beautiful way!
Former teacher hosts a once-in-a-lifetime eclipse watch party that was planned 46 years ago
Patrick Moriarty, a former teacher from New York hosted a once in a lifetime eclipse party for his students.
This party was planned 46 years ago, in 1978 when Moriarty was an earth science teacher at Webster High School.
He told his students to save the April 8, 2024 date and promised them they’d watch the total solar eclipse together. He kept making that promise to students every year until he stopped teaching in 1998.
Moriarty fulfilled his promise! He created a Facebook event to invite his former students to his eclipse party. On April 8th, more than 100 former students showed up to experience this rare, incredibly magnificent phenomenon.
“When I had these kids, they were ninth graders. I have a lot of gratitude now that this eclipse is supporting the fact that there’s reunions happening, there are people sharing stories and reconnecting with each other. It’s beautiful,” said Patrick Moriarty.
A student turns her health struggles into inspiration to become a nurse
Due to a congenital heart defect, Lydia Butler had to spend months in the hospital as a child.
The care she received inspired her to become a nurse herself and help kids just like her.
Now Lydia is a freshman at Xavier University. She is actively working towards her dream of becoming a nurse and working at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, the place where she was treated as a child.
“I’ve been the patient, and now I want to be the nurse…I know what it’s like to be in a hospital bed and kind of not know what’s coming next. And so I would hope that my story could help patients feel a little more hopeful, not as scared,” she said.
Despite a rough start in life, Lydia strives to move forward with greater courage and enthusiasm.
“There’s no bitterness. I mean being in surgery and in hospitals for so long as a little child and to not kind of be angry about that in any way but to just be very optimistic about everything,” said Nancy Matre, a senior teaching professor at Xavier University.
Goodness is Everywhere – and You Can Spread it Too!
It’s important to remember that though we see a lot of ugliness on the news and in the media, there are a lot of positive, uplifting stories too – you just might have to look harder to find them.
Also don’t forget that you can spread positivity and happiness wherever you go too – holding the door for someone, helping someone across the street, or even just stopping for a conversation with a friendly stranger. You never know when you are going to make an impact on someone.
If you need an extra boost, check out our article on 10 Positive News Sites You Should Follow. See you next week!
Photo by Sergey Makashin
